United Nations, March 29 (RHC)-- Syria's UN ambassador has suggested that the United States "hand over a couple of its own states" to Israel instead of flouting international law and selling others' land for favors with the Israeli lobby, like it did with the Golan Heights.

Syria's UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari offered a stark rebuke to the U.S.-backed Israeli claim to the occupied Golan Heights at the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.  Jaafari said the Donald Trump administration does the bidding of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN to curry favor with the powerful Israeli lobby in the United States.

In a remark that elicited laughter at the Security Council session, Jaafari suggested that Washington bargain away land that is actually its to give.  "You can give them North and South Carolina, for example.  Why not?  South Carolina is a great piece of land...  So, give Israel a couple of states if this administration really wants to have Israeli support."

Trump's decision to back the Israeli claim to the Golan Heights comes just ahead of the Israeli general elections on April 6th and has been widely considered as an electoral boost for Netanyahu, who is facing charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust at home.

"Don't be misguided by thinking that one day this land will be yours due to hypocrisy or due to being a pawn in the electoral game where you bring each other support, so the Israelis can succeed in their elections and the Americans can also get support from Israeli lobbying groups in the U.S.," Jaafari said.  The Golan Heights, seized by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day war and formally annexed in 1981, will ultimately be returned to Syria, the diplomat said.

The Security Council meeting was called at Syria's request.  Damascus insists that the recognition of the Golan Heights belonging to Israel runs counter to UN resolutions that expressly declare the annexation "null and void."